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THE LIBRARY

THE UNIVERSITY
OF CALIFORNIA

LOS ANGELES

^-s

-^- -\^ >

THE

RETREAT FROM PULASKI
TO NASHVILLE, TENN.

attle of JfranfeUn,

Jgobember 30tf), 1864

With Maps, Sketches, Portraits and
Photographic Views

Bv LEVI T. SCOFIELD

Late Captain and Engineer Officer 23rd Army Corps

CLEVELAND:
PRESS OF THE CAXTON CO.

1909

THE RETREAT FROM PULASKI TO NASHVILLE, TENN.

MAJ. GEN. U. S. GRANT,
Com. U. S. Army.

MAJ. GEN. WILLIAM T. SHERMAN,
Com. Military Div. of the Mississippi.

WHILE the weary but hardy veterans of Sherman's army were en-
joying a short but sorely needed breathing spell on the wooded
hills of Cherokee County, Ala., Gen. Hood with his army, equally
worn and more destitute of supplies, was content to rest at a fairly safe
distance near Florence, on the Tennessee River.

After he was compelled to abandon the Atlanta stronghold, the. in-
trepid Southron had determined to destroy our Cracker line, the army
name for the railroads over which our supplies were transported, and
to prevent this audacious movement there had been a severe strain of
constant watching and tedious night marches on the part of our army.

Sherman, in his quick, nervous way would direct his Corps Com-
manders, as th^y started off in the darkness, to occasionally set a house
afire to let him know where they were.

Hood's wily and energetic cavalry leader, Gen. Forrest, had with his
force been almost constantly in their saddles, and this temporary sus-
pension gave him the opportunity to rest his jaded steeds and recruit
with fresh mounts. On one of these quiet days our great commander
stood on the slope in front of his quarters, grimly peering adown the
smoky valleys and over the purple ranges that separated him from his
impulsive antagonist, and deliberately planned the boldest military move-
ment recorded in history, the famous "March to the Sea.''

451817

THE RETREAT FROM PULASKI

THE ATLANTA CAMPAIGN.

When on one bright morning of early May Sherman's 100,000
marched out on the red-clay hills of northern Georgia to battle against the
75,000 that Johnston had held together, it was well known the contest
would be mighty and that the oak-shaded hills and cottonfields on the
path of war would be bathed with blood. The ablest commander in the
.Confederate army was opposed to us, and the proof of his military genius
was manifested by his masterly retreat upon his stronghold, where for
120 consecutive days of fighting, with spirited skirmishes every day and
general engagements every week, he entered the fortifications of Atlanta
without having lost by capture a single fieldpiece, wagon or even a camp
kettle.

The long Summer had cruelly tested the endurance of both armies,
and during the first three months of the campaign, in the frequent as-
saults of the blue-uniformed warriors against the strong fieldworks that
formed a gridiron across our lines of advance, we lost 20,000 brave men,
and in the fourth month the Confederate army, under their new com-
mander, lost an equal number in their mad rushes and sallies against our
fortified cordon, and this, with the train loads they carried back over the
Etowah and Chattahoochee Valleys, together with those buried on the
battlefields, swelled their losses to 30,000.

In the early days of November, 1864, Sherman's army, divided at
Caylesville, the General, taking the Fourteenth, Fifteenth, Seventeenth
and Twentieth Corps, numbering over 60,000 men, formed them into
two wings and started for the Atlantic coast.

He left the Fourth and Twenty-third Corps, mustering 26,000 men,
to oppose Hood's army of 54,000 men in all branches of service.

It seemed perhaps natural for Hood to believe that the way was left
open for him to lead his army where he pleased, and that he could easily
sweep away anything that would confront him in his triumphal march
to Nashville, Louisville and Cincinnati.

But Sherman selected from his able associates the two commanders
in whom he had the greatest confidence — Thomas and Schofield ; having
full knowledge of the former's wonderful power in organization, and the
brains and capacity of the latter for execution.

As he marched his splendid army down through the mountain val-
leys of northern Alabama and Georgia toward Atlanta, he realized that
the fighting would be done by those he left behind. But his experience
in the Summer campaign gave him full reliance that their work would be
well done, and that the two Generals would make no mistakes, but with
the forces under them would accomplish as much as might be done by

TO NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE.

MAJ. GEN. GEORGE H. THOMAS,

Com. Federal Troops Nashville

Campaign.

MAJ. GEN. JOHN M. SCHOFIELD,
Com. 23d A. C., 4th A. C. and Wil-
son's Cavalry at Franklin, Tenn.

any two leaders in any country or age. The Twenty-third and Fourth
Corps, upon whom so much depended, marched in quick order. The
former to Resaca and Dalton, where transportation awaited to take them
by rail to Nashville, and thence to Pulaski, arriving there the second week
in November.

This movement was ordered by Thomas, the senior officer, but was
under the direct command of Schofield.

The commanding General made his headquarters at Nashville, and
remained there to organize a strong force, made up of detachments that
had been on duty in the rear, also new regiments that had been recently
recruited, and those, together with Gen. A. J. Smith's Corps, which had
been ordered from the West, would reinforce the army at the front to
an equal or larger number than Hood's, and enable us to face him, or
even overcome his army.

At the same time vigorous efforts were made to remount, equip and
place our cavalry on a better footing, with Gen. Wilson in command,
who was expected to cope with the same branch of Hood's army, under
Forrest, which numbered over 12,000 men.

Schofield's duty was to watch and retard Hood while this concentra-
tion about Nashville was progressing. Hood, however, was not inclined

1(1

THE RETREAT FROM PULASKI

TO NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE.

LT. GEN. G. T. BEAUREGARD,

Com. Confederate Forces in Middle

Tennessee.

GEN. JOSEPH E. JOHNSTON,
Com. Confederate Forces, Atlanta and
North Carolina campaign.

to wait for our preparations, and was ordered by Beauregard, who was
his superior in command, to push forward from Florence, which he did
on the 2oth of November, expecting to flank Schofield at Lawrenceburg
and cut off his retreat by rail from Pulaski. Hood's friends, spies and
scouts, in and about Nashville, kept him accurately informed as to
Thomas's movements, so that he determined upon as rapid an advance
as possible ; but bad roads retarded him so that almost a week had passed
before he was able to concentrate his whole force at Columbia.

In the meantime Capron's, Croxton's and Hatch's cavalry were cov-
ering his front and on the lookout, and sent word to Schofield, who im-
mediately prepared to fall back to Columbia.

Gen. Cox's Division of the Twenty-third Corps left its camps and
started on the Columbia pike on the 22(1 and marched to Lynville, where
it was joined by Wagner's Division, Fourth Corps.

On the afternoon of the 23(1 we marched to the junction of the Mt.
Pleasant and Shelbyville roads. Before daylight of the 24th we were
ordered to march to Columbia, and arrived there just after sunrise. As
we approached the town the well-kept farms and spacious lawns, with
long, straight lanes bordered with trees, leading up to the handsome man-
sions, gave us the impression of peace and comfort. Hut how quickly
there was to be a change.

THE RETREAT FROM PULASKI

MAP

COLUMBIA TENN

OCCUPIED EyrnF

23°*.4T« CORPS
F RO M THE 24 ™ TO 29'" NOV. 166^

MAJ.GEN J.M.SCHOFIELD

COMMANOIHC

352O FTTOTTfEtNCH

TO NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE.

LT. GEN. JOHN B. HOOD.

Com. Confederate Forces, Nashville

Campaign.

MAJ. GEN. NATHAN B. FOREST,
Com. Cavalry of Hood's Army.

\Ye were met, south of the town, by an officer of Ruger's staff, who
informed us that Capron's cavalry were pouring into the town, and that
the Confederates were not far behind them. Gen. Cox took in the situa-
tion at once, and with the instinct of an engineer, having a full knowledge
of the lay of the ground, from the study of maps that were furnished
him, decided not to enter the town ; but the head of the column, then
coming up, was double-quicked by a diagonal shortcut, at the outskirts
of the place, and arrived on the Mt. Pleasant pike just at the critical
lucky moment to meet the tail-end of Capron's fagged-out cavalrymen,
closely pursued by Forrest's exultant troopers. A dashing Captain on a
splendid black charger with foam-flecked shoulders and a yellow saddle
blanket, was in the advance, deliberately shooting our men in the back
of their heads with his revolver. He was dropped from his seat by the
first infantryman that crossed the road. The plucky looth Ohio was
in one short minute deployed as skirmishers and advanced rapidly to
meet the enemy, but, as usual, when cavalry meet an infantry line, they
stopped, falling back on the road and through the fields beyond the range
of our skirmish fire.

Gen. Cox's Division was soon in position, and before noon Gen.
Stanley arrived with the Fourth Corps, approaching Columbia by a
parallel road, and with the addition of Strickland's Brigade of Ruger's
Division, Twenty-third Corps, reinforcements of cavalry and a Regular

14 THE RETREAT FROM PULASKI

battery which joined us here, we were in better shape as to numbers than
we were at Pulaski. Our stay at first in this position was rather monot-
onous, with only cavalry in our front, but an occasional skirmish added
to the interest. When Hood's infantry arrived, and his batteries were
placed in position, there was more excitement, with artillery practice ;
but they evidently did not like the looks of our position, for they made
no demonstrations leading to an assault, but kept our cavalry on the
flanks uneasy, as though they contemplated flanking us out of our posi-
tions.

Schofield was anxious to preserve the railroad and wagonroad bridges
that spanned Duck River, which he could only do by remaining on the
town side ; but he knew, too, that this would not be important if Hood
should cross the river at some other point and get between him and
Nashville ; so, at the end of two days, after dark. Cox's Division was
crossed over to the north side of the river, and works were thrown up
to protect the bridge crossings. Two days later the balance of our troops,
with artillery and trains, were brought over, and to prevent the enemy
from using the bridges they were destroyed ; but that did not prevent
some of the venturesome from crossing in the darkness of the night, and
our pickets had considerable trouble from the enemy's skirmishers. This
annoyance was so great that Gen. Cox determined to drive them into
the river, and sent word to his Inspecting Officer that one of the regi-
ments of the First Brigade should charge them with the bayonet, and
demonstrate right there whether or not those iron candlesticks they
were carrying around with them could be turned to any other use as
implements of war. The attempt failed, because their men were too
well protected by the skirmishers and artillery on the opposite bank, their
covered batteries pouring in a rapid plunging fire as soon as our line
formed for the charge. The men were ready and eager to go, and had
started a yell which invariably accompanied a double-quick advance, but
the staff officer ordered them back under cover when he saw the attempt
would result in too great a loss for the advantage to be gained.

On the morning of the 29th we learned that Hood was crossing
some of his troops a few miles above Columbia, at Huey's Mill.

Gen. Stanley moved in the forenoon with a part of the Fourth Corps
to guard the wagon trains then on the way to Spring Hill, and reached
that place at noon. They were just in time, and Wagner's Division
deployed at double-quick. Bradley on the right, Lane next, and Opdycke
on the left, and pushed forward through the eastern suburbs of the town
against Forrest's cavalry, which command had been repulsed by Wilson
at Mt. Carmel, five miles east of the Franklin pike, and had turned over

TO NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE.

MAJOR WILBUR F. GOODSPEED,
Asst. Chief of Artillery 4th A. C.

CAPT. ALEX. MARSHALL.
Com. Battery 4th A. C.

LT. COL. HARRY S. PJCKANDS,
Com. io3d O. V. I. at Spring Hill.

CAPT. CHARLES E. SARGEANT,
Co. E., I03d O. V. I.

1C,

THE RETREAT FROM PULASKI

TO NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE.

MAJ. GEN. DAVID S. STANLEY.
Com. 4th A. C.

to Spring Hill by the Murfrees-
boro road to obstruct our trains.
They were driven back to the woods
by our infantry, and moved under
cover to Thompson's Station, two
or -three miles toward Franklin.
When Gen. Schofield arrived at
Spring Hill with Ruger's Division,
soon after dark, he learned from
Stanley that some of the enemy
were across the road at Thomp-
son's Station, and he pushed on
with a brigade of Ruger's com-
mand, leading the troops in per-
son, gallantly charging, and drove
them from their position.

Leaving Ruger there, he returned
to Spring Hill, arriving there just
as Cox at midnight reached the
place in the lead of the Twenty-
third Corps. A small body of the
enemy reached the pike between Spring Hill and Columbia, but were
easily driven back by the wagon guard and artillery.

Col. Lyman Bridges, Chief of Artillery of the 4th Corps, had charge
of and posted the batteries on the left of the pike, and Maj. \Y. F. Good-
speed, Assistant Chief of Artillery, had charge of the batteries on the
right, which were handled so admirably against the assaulting lines of
Cheatham's Corps. There was some slight skirmishing until the middle
of the afternoon, when the head of Hood's infantry column arrived,
with Cheatham's Corps of nine brigades in the lead. Hood was aware
from the artillery firing that Schofield was still
at Columbia with a portion of his command, and
he ordered Cheatham to march in line against
anything he should meet and drive them across
the pike. Cheatham did push forward, and with
solid force struck the right of our line, crowd-
ing Bradley's Brigade back in confusion almost
to the pike; Bradley being wounded in the as-
sault. The loss was about 250 men. The other
two brigades were not much engaged. This at-
tack was followed up vigorously until they struck P>RIG- ClEN-

. . . LUTHER P. BRADLEY,

a slight line of fortifications occupied by a single Com. Brig. Wagner's Div.

1 , ., . .... „,, 4th A. C. \Vounded at

battery and a small regiment of infantry. I he Spring mil, Tenn.

18 THE RETREAT FROM PULASKI

MAJ. GEN. THOMAS T. WOOD. BRIG. GEN. NATHAN KIMBALL.

Com. Div. 4th A. C. Com. Division 4th A. C.

battery was commanded by the valiant Alec Marshall, who was absolutely
fearless in short-range work, and the regiment by Col. Harry Pickands,
as full of mettle as any one that ever commanded men. The men of
this regiment were what were left of the iO3d Ohio. They had been
so cut up and reduced in numbers during the Atlanta cam-
paign that they were detailed as Gen. Schofield's headquarters
guard, and were the first troops to reach Spring Hill, arriving
there with the train between 10 and 1 1 o'clock in the morning. Gen. Ful-
lerton, of Stanley's staff, saw them there when he arrived, and ordered
them in line to support the battery. As Stanley's report does not mention
their presence, even, it would seem proper to here note the part they took
in the engagement. Bradley's men as they fell back rushed by them on
either side, but they remained to support the battery. The officers had
broken open boxes of ammunition and built a little parapet of cartridges
in front of the men, from which they loaded ; and a rapid, withering fire
was poured into the advancing lines, doing terrible execution at this short
range. The guns also were handled by Lieut. Rills with wonderful
rapidity. This furious, driving storm of lead and iron had never been
surpassed, and rarely equalled, by the same quality and number of arms.
Cheatham's troops, encountering at this point such fierce opposition, and
believing they had struck our main line of fortifications, halted, fell back,
and commenced building a line of earthworks. Of course, it is not prob-

TO NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE. 19

able, nor is it claimed, that a small regiment of infantry, no matter with
how much bravery they fought, could, under the same circumstances, hold
in check a line that a well-tried and splendid brigade had retreated from ;
but the situation here was such that the rebel General commanding was
deceived as to the force confronted. At the same time, the little band
is entitled to the credit of staying where it was put. If the men of the
iO3d Ohio had fallen back with the brigade, Cleburne would have crossed
the pike, Brown would have followed him, we would have lost possession
of the road, our army would have been cut in two and the result might
have been different.

The officers of the ic>3d Ohio tried to check the fleeing troops, and
taunted their officers with the bad example they were showing their men.
Capt. Charley Sargeant grabbed one officer who was tearing past him,
who shouted "For God's sake, don't stop me ! I'm a Chaplain !" Addi-
tional troops corning up, the rebels pushed out some to feel Wagner's
left flank, but made no further attempt to carry our position.

The officers commanding the regiment and battery were old friends,
and had not met for years, but during the fight there had not been time
for even a nod or a handshake ; but when the engagement was over,
Marshall came forward to the infantry line, which was only a few yards
in advance, and greeted his friend in a modest manner, with the remark :
"Well, this was a warm reception!"

An eye-witness said that he had noticed the artillery officer in action,
and he was holding his men and handling the guns with the fury of a
demon, and while he stood talking with the Colonel his face was still
flushed, the big veins were bulging on his temples, and perspiration and
smoke had streaked his face, but in other ways he appeared as serene and
smiling as though nothing had happened.

Col. Pickands showed a hearty pride in the action of his men, with
whom he mingled from beginning to end, steadying and encouraging
them, and the last one would have died for their Colonel, for they fairly
worshiped him. Their duty having been well done during this emergency,
they were led back to their train.

Darkness was now approaching, and Stewart's Corps of- four divi-
sions arrived, and together with Cheatham's command went into bivouac
for the night.

THE RETREAT FROM PULASKI

TO NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE. 21

THAT TRYING NIGHT MARCH.

About this time Gen. Cox's Division, which had been under a heavy
artillery fire all day from Hood's guns stationed in and near Columbia,
started for Spring Hill, leaving Wood and Kimball, who had been or-
dered to follow soon after. This night march was a very rapid one, and,
with the exception of a halt at Rutherford Creek to help out some
artillery and teams that were there clogged, the distance to Spring Hill,
about 12 miles, was made at the rate of four miles an hour. The rear-
guards were ordered positively to use the bayonet on fence-corner strag-
glers, and the orders were in several instances obeyed. When the General
and staff reached Spring Hill we were stopped on the road by Col.
George Northrup, of a Kentucky regiment of infantry. He cautioned us,
"Hist," with finger to his lips, not to speak above a whisper, and pointed
to the camp-fires on the rolling slopes within sight of the road.

We could plainly see that the soldiers standing and moving about
the flaring lights were Johnnies, and in the quiet of the night could hear
their voices. An officer was left to repeat the caution to the advancing
column.

Farther along on the road we found Gen. Stanley at his headquarters
in the dooryard of a mansion, and from whom we learned the whole
situation. While mingling with the staff officers, we found them quietly
commenting on the loss of one of their number, who, accompanied by
an Orderly, had been sent with orders to the line, and then pushing out
on a quiet reconnoissance, was captured by the rebel pickets; the Orderly,
fortunately escaping, reported the circumstances.

The promixity of the two armies was such that it seems incredible
there were not frequent clashes during the night, or even a general attack
to break our line on the night march.

Gen. Schofield, arriving at this time from Thompson's Station, or-
dered an immediate march to Franklin, and Gen. Cox's Division to lead
the advance. Keeping up the long, steady stride of four miles an hour,
in the clear starlight, without meeting a soul on the road, we reached
Winstead Hills about 3 o'clock in the morning.

The General and staff then pushed on rapidly to FYanklin. awoke
Col. Carter, and made headquarters at his little brick cottage, the last
house in the southern suburbs of the town, on the Columbia pike.

In the absence of the Inspecting Officer, who was with the rear-
guard, the writer was instructed to place the troops in position ; and while
sitting out in front of the house, waiting for the head of column to
arrive, everything was as still as the grave, and there was time to ponder
on what the following day would bring forth.

I did not realize, and very few, perhaps, anticipated, the dreadful
and bloody outcome ; but. rather, looked for another flank movement.

THE RETREAT FROM PULASKI

Occupied by the

23d. and 4th Corps

during the engagement Oi

Nov. 30 th. 1864

Maj.GenJ .M.Schofield

COMMANDING
SCALE or rxcT

TO NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE.

o
U

THE RETREAT FROM PULASKI

MAJ. GEX. JACOB D. Cox,
Com. 23d A. C. and Two Divi-
sions of 4th A. C. in Battle of
Franklin. Tenn.

as at Columbia. Presently the tramp
of horses in the distance and the rattle
of tin cups against bayonet clasps fore-
told the coming of the troops. First the
brigade officers, mounted, appeared, and
they were led off to the right of the road,
where a hasty inspection of the ground
was made in the darkness ; then the
weary men came marching by the left
flank. The night tramp had been wear-
ing to those on foot, for they had been
pressed to unusual speed, and their anx-
iety about the train, that was strung
along by their side, kept them peering
out into the dim distance, lest Forrest's
cavalry might strike them at any point,
although every regiment had a company
deployed in the fields to our right. The
Third Division of the Twenty-third
Corps was led into position on the east
side of the pike — Stiles, commanding
Henderson's Brigade, first, Casement

next, and Riley last, all facing the south. Col. Henderson was
temporarily unwell, and had requested Col. Stiles, of the 63d Ind.. to re-
lieve him of personal command of his brigade ; but he remained with the
brigade during the engagement, and watched every movement with as
much solicitude as though he were giving the orders direct to the regi-
mental commanders. Gen. Cox was placed in command of the two divi-
sions, his own and Ruger's, and was instructed — as soon as the troops
could get a short breathing spell, a few winks of sleep, and their morning
coffee — to strongly intrench themselves.

It was deemed expedient by Gen. Schofield
to make our stand on the south side of the town
and river, so that the trains could mass in the
streets and open spaces in the village, while a
wagonroad bridge was being built and planks laid
on the sleepers of the railroad bridge for their
transfer across. Gen. Schofield had the previous
day sent an urgent request to Thomas to ship by
rail a pontoon bridge to Franklin for the Harpeth
crossing, and expected to find it there, but in this
was disappointed. It had instead been sent by
the wagonroad. in charge of Maj. Jenny, of the
Fngineer Corps, and did not arrive in time to BRIGl (li:N- IH"S< ,H; R";"GER-

, b . . Com. 2d Div. 23d A. C. at

be Of Service. Franklin. Tenn.

TO NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE.

THE RETREAT FROM PULASKI

COL. JOSEPH CONRAD,
Com. Bradley's Brig. Battle of Franklin.

In this embarrassing situation
there was nothing to do but con-
struct the bridges with the meager
facilities at hand ; so, with his En-
gineer Battalion and details of
troops, the work was performed,
requiring his constant personal at-
tention. He remained in this posi-
tion up to the time of the engage-
ment, so as to better superintend
the crossing, and at the same time
be near the railroad and telegraph
station ; while from Fort Granger,
on the bluff east of the railroad
and near the river, he had perfect
command during the battle of the
entire field, and to direct the fire
of the artillery stationed there
with him. During the forenoon
the troops, in close order, kept
pouring in, the infantry on the right side of the road and wagon trains
and artillery to their left.

The march was not so rapid as during the night, for they were con-
tinually harassed by Forrest's cavalry attaching in weak points on the
road. Wood's Division of the Fourth Corps passed through the town
and formed in position on the north of the Harpeth ; Kimball's Division
of the same corps was ordered to report to Gen. Cox, and was placed by
him on the right of the Twenty-third Corps, with its right flank resting
on the Harpeth River. Two brigades of Wagner's Division, Fourth Corps
(Lane's and Conrad's), were countermarched, and placed something over
100 rods in our front, across the
Columbia pike, to watch the approach
of the enemy, and to their right and
front, on a little knoll, a section of
Marshall's Battery, supported by an
infantry regiment.

Opdycke's Brigade, of the same
division, which had been acting as
rear-guard from Spring Hill, passed
through our line, and was ordered by
Gen. Cox to take up position in re-
serve behind Carter's Hill. The two

regiments of Reilly's Brigade that The Drummer Boy killed while trying

to block a gun.

TO NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE.

THE RETREAT FROM PULASKI

BRIG. GEN. GEORGE D. WAGNER,
Com. Div. 4th A. C.

COL. EMERSON OPDYCKE,
Com. Brig. Wagner's Div. 4th A. C.

were left back in the skirmish line at Duck River arrived, and formed the
second line behind the main works. The batteries of the Fourth Corps
were placed in our main line. They were ordered to report to Gen. Cox,
to take the places of the Twenty-third Corps artillery that had been
posted on the north side of the river, as it was the first on the ground,
and it was the intention, at that hour, to have all the artillery pass over
as it arrived. By the middle of the afternoon our trains were nearly all
across the river, and it was intended the troops should follow after dark,
and accompanying them during the night toward Xashville. But it
seemed that Gen. Schofield's plans were to be somewhat interfered with,
to the extent that the continuation of our march was some hours later.
For when Gen. Hood's sleepy army awoke at Spring Hill, and he
found how skillfully Gen. Schofield had marched his command past him
during the night, and an examination by daylight showed him how easily
he could have cut us in two at any time during the night or headed us
off entirely the previous afternoon, had he known our exact situation, he
was so chagrined that he cursed everybody, high and low ; censured
Cheatham and Cleburne, and the entire forces that were present, for not
taking possession of the road ; and made his wrhole army understand that
it must make up for that blunder at once, and that no time was to be
lost in overtaking and destroying our army wherever found. So he
pushed on in pursuit, their cavalry occasionally attacking our trains and
burning a wagon or two, until they came up with our rear-guard about
noon at Winstead Hills. These two splendid fighting Generals, Cheatham

TO NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE.

o
U

THE RETREAT FROM PULASKI

LT. GEN. ALEXANDER P. STEWART,
Com. Corps Hood's Army.

MAJ. GEN. BENJAMIN F. CHEATHAM.
Com. Corps Hood's Army.

and Cleburne, felt keenly the morning's reprimand, which they considered
undeserved, and as they rode together at the head of their commands
they discussed it with bitter resentment, and determined at the first op-
portunity to make the fight of their lives, and disprove the unjust charges
of their commander. Stewart's Corps moved on to the right, toward
Lewisburg pike, turning Opdycke's flank, when he fell slowly back to
the town.

Gen. Cheatham with his corps moved by the Columbia pike, and
formed in line north of Winstead Hills. From our position the oScers
and horses could be plainly seen on this range of hills, a little more than
two miles away, as though studying our position.

From this elevation the beautiful panorama, embracing the rolling
intervening country and the town of Franklin nestling in the Valley of
the Harpeth, was plainly in the vision of Hood's officers, showing also
the disposition of our troops and the earthworks encircling the town.
Bate's Division marched over to Carter's Creek pike and formed behind
the Bostwick house. Stewart's Corps moved over to the McGavock
house, where the first skirmish firing was heard in the grove ; it was by
Reilly's men, who had gone there for logs to put on the earthworks.

Firing was now commenced over on the right where Bate was form-
ing, and the guns stationed on the pike poured in volley after volley with
great rapidity. Gen. Cox rode over to Henderson's Brigade, which was
on higher ground, and from a parapet, with his fieldglass, watched the
advancing lines until they ran over Wagner's men.

TO NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE.

O re
ffi S

THE RETREAT FROM PULASKI

LT. GEN. STEPHEN D. LEE, MAJ. GEN. WILLIAM B. BATES,

Com. Corps, Hood's Army. Com. Division Cheatham's Corps.

He then mounted his horse and pushed for the center, steadying the
line and directing the men to withhold their fire until the advanced lines
were inside of the works. The suspense was now growing, for we knew
there was to be a battle. The men were heated from the exertion of
strengthening the works, but they laid down their shovels and picks, and
took up their guns with a firm grip, and stood there with bated breath
and blazing eyes, frowning over the works at the advancing foe and
awaiting the order to commence firing ; for they were fairly burning to
avenge the deaths of their brave comrades that were left on the bloody
battlefields of northern Georgia, and this was their first good chance for
wiping out many an old score; and, oh! what a real comfort it was to
know that we who, during the hot Summer campaign, had stood the
crash of so many fierce assaults against their solid fortifications, were
now on the right side of the works, and in such a splendid position, with
a gentle slope away from us and not even a mullein-stalk to obstruct our
fire for a good third of a mile.

Before the break in the advanced lines. Gen. Cox's Engineer Officer,
the writer, was standing on the parapet of the looth Ohio, the first one
on the left of the Columbia pike, urging the men to strengthen the works,
and talking with Gen. Wagner at the time. The General was reclining
on his elbow, his feet hanging over the works, with a staff or crutch in
his hand ; he had fallen with his horse and was lame. They remarked
that the musketry firing was becoming more rapid, also that the section

TO NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE.

BRIG. GEN. ORLANDO M. POE,

Chief Engineer, M'ilitary Division of

the Mississippi.

CAPT. LEVI T. SCOFIELD,

Engineer Officer, 23d A. C, Gen.

J. D. Cox's Staff.

of artillery was doing some lively work. By and by a staff officer rode
fast from one of the brigades and reported to Wagner, excitedly, "The
enemy are forming in heavy columns ; we can see them distinctly in the
open timber and all along our front."

Wagner said firmly: "Stand there and fight them."

Then turning to the Engineer Officer, he said, "And that stubbed,
curly-headed Dutchman will fight them, too." Meaning one of his brigade
commanders.

"But, General," the Engineer said, "the orders are not to stand,
except against cavalry and skirmishers, but to fall back behind the main
line if a general engagement is threatened."

In a short time another officer of Stanley's staff rode in from the
right in great haste and told him the rebels were advancing in heavy
force. He received the same order. The officer added : "But Hood's
entire army is coming." Then Wagner struck the ground with his stick.
"Never mind ; fight them." But even after this, they had time to come
back in good order if they had been so directed.

Soon we heard the rebel yell and heavy firing. Marshall's men with
the two guns had fixed prolonge and fired as they fell back on the pike

34 THE RETREAT FROM PULASKI

to the advanced rifle pits, leaving their dead, but bringing in their
wounded. The horses then brought the guns in on an easy trot. As
they turned in around the short apron earthwork covering the gap across
the pike, Alec Clinton, one of the gunners, jumped off the limber, his
face black with powder smoke, and said, with a grim smile,

"Old hell is let loose, and coming out there."

The firing now was continuous, and under the rising smoke we could
see a commotion in our advanced brigades ; officers were hurrying from
point to point to hold the men to their work. A few horsemen were in
sight, some mounting and others dismounting, but only an occasional
dropping back. Soon we noticed the right of Stewart's command wrap-
ping around Conrad's left, and then our men rose up and the break

commenced. The right of Cheat-
ham's corps was sweeping over the

•••••

. little rise of ground on which the
^» low earthworks were built, in what

TO.

appeared a solid human wave.
And such a racket ! Their shout-
Marshall's battery firing at fixed ing seemed to show such confidence

as men would have who had been

led to believe that the line they were assaulting was a weak one.
The firing had slackened and the smoke cleared, so that we could plainly
see the splendid advance.

It was a grand sight! Such as would make a lifelong impression
on the mind of any man who could see such a resistless, well-conducted
charge. For the moment we were spellbound with admiration, although
they were our hated foes ; and we knew that in a few brief moments,
as soon as they reached firing distance, all of that orderly grandeur would
be changed to bleeding, writhing confusion, and that thousands of those
valorous men of the South, with their chivalric officers, would pour out
their life's blood on the fair fields in front of us. As forerunners well
in advance could be seen a line of wild rabbits, bounding along for a few
leaps, and then they would stop and look back and listen, but scamper
off again, as though convinced that this was the most impenetrable line
of beaters-in that had ever given them chase ; and quails by the thousands
in covies here and there would rise and settle, and rise again to the warm
sunlight that called them back ; but, no, they were frightened by the
unusual turmoil, and back they came and this repeated until finally they
rose high in the air and whirred off to the gray skylight of the north.

The day had been bright and warm, reminding us of the Northern
Indian Summer; the afternoon sun, like a ball of fire, was settling in all
its southern splendor in a molten sea of bronze, over the distant hills ;
and in the hazy, golden light, and with their yellowish-brown uniforms,

TO NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE. 35

those in the front ranks seemed to be magnified in size ; one could almost
imagine them to be phantoms sweeping along in the air. On they came,
and in the center their lines seemed to be many deep and unbroken, their
red-and-white tattered flags, with the emblem of St. Andrew's cross,
as numerous as though every company bore them, flaring brilliantly in
the sun's rays, with conspicuous mounted groups of general and staff
officers in their midst, and a battery or two in splendid line charging along
between the divisions. Scattered along in front of them were our men
bent almost to the ground, with their heads turned to see if the enemy
were gaining on them. It was every man for himself and the devil take
the last man over the works ; but here and there brave fellows would
hesitate as if they would like to face and fight them.

On the right of Walthall's and the left of Loring's Divisions there
were occasional breaks made by our infantry and the terrific volleys from
the batteries on the opposite bank of the river ; also, from Marshall's
and Canby's Battery M, 4th U. S. Art., who poured canister into the
enemy that were swarming through the railroad cut ; but officers on
horseback and afoot were at every gap, trying to close them up, so that,
on the left, Stewart's living sea, with raging surf, in wave following
wave, broke and fell, and plunged onward over the sloping beach in our
front.

Those who have stood on the Cliff road at Newport and watched
the masses of brown seaweed from the gulf stream carried by the white-
capped waves over the bright green water of the beach will have a fair
idea of the appearance of those lines that charged forward and receded
on that fateful day. Still the great seething mass came rolling on to our
center. Although the smoke was spreading, we could see them plainly,
but could not open with our artillery and infantry fire until our men
were safely over. It was a situation that required the greatest bravery
for the men to stand there firmly, and to hold their fire until the enemy
were within 100 yards of our intrenchments. But those stern-faced
veterans from the Middle West, in regiments that were short, though
compact, touched elbows and grappled grimly their trusty Enfields, ready
to pour in their first volley as soon as the Fourth Corps men uncovered
their front.

Oh, what a mistake the brave Wagner made! Through the gap, at
last, and over the works our men came, with Cleburne and Brown hot
after them. Wagner by this time was on his horse riding backward and
facing the disorganized brigades, trying as hard as ever a man did to
rally them. With terrible oaths he called them cowards, and shook his
broken stick at them ; but back they went to the town, and nothing could
stop them. The writer was also mounted and assisted Wagner until, in
front of the Carter House, he was so unfortunate as to be dismounted,

THE RETREAT FROM PULASKI

TO NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE. 37

receiving a slight wound in the leg from the same shot that killed his
horse. Just then a young Sergeant, all made up of true mettle, and with
flashing eye, turned and brought his gun down on the ground and said :
"Hold on, boys; I don't go back another step." About 20 stopped with
him. I patted him on the back and led him with his men into our reserve
line ; perhaps others stopped, but the great mass went through the town
and across the river. Wagner was a great fighter ; it is said that bullets
rattled out of his clothes for a month after the battle of Stone's River,
and his division was as good as any other, but they had been pressed too
closely, and for some reason thought the whole line would break. Their

officers tried hard to check them,
but their organization was brok-
en in their scramble back from
the front. It was not the fault
of the men, nor their officers,
but of their rash General, and it
was the only fault in his long,
splendid career ; but it lost him
Gen. Wagner trying to rally the two brigades his command. Poor Wagner is

in their routs to the rear. , 11- i • • TT

now dead ; his soul is in Heaven

with the heroes, and let us exercise our full measure of charity in forgiv-
ing this one error, and cherish the memory of his personal valor and
dauntless courage on the hard-fought battlefields of the West.

If our men, in this part of the line, with every fiber strained to al-
most breaking tension, could have had time to fire two or three volleys,
they would have regained the nerve they had lost during this awful sus-
pense, and held the line without a waver. But Cheatham's whole corps
was right on top of those few regiments before they could fire a shot,
and some of them were forced back a short distance from the line on
either side of the pike. Now was the great opportunity for the brave
Cols. Rousseau and White and the battery commander, Charley Scoville.
The two former were in command of Reilly's second line and had been
cautioned by Gen. Cox, before riding over to Henderson's Brigade, to
look out for a break at this point, and when it did come they were ready.
These troops were made up of those daring, earnest men from the moun-
tains of East Tennessee and Kentuckians from the northeastern part of
the State, where they were so thoroughly loyal that they kept on shooting
rebels after the war was over. They did not wait for an order, but sprang
over the low rifle-pits like tigers, and with a shrill shout that was heard
even above the rebel yell, and a heroism rarely equalled by men, went
pell-mell into the mass of Confederates that had taken our line and did
not know what to do with it. At the same time Charley Scoville cracked
his blacksnake whip around the ears of his artillerymen, and drove them

451817

THE RETREAT FROM PULASKI

back to the guns. At it they went with pick-axes and shovels, slashing
all around them with the ferocity of demons.

For a few minutes there was a fierce hand-to-hand combat, and it
was right in those few minutes that the fate of one or the other of the
armies was to be decided. For a little time it looked decidedly against
us, but the desperate determination of our men, who were rallying to
regain the line, had its effect, and a change began to show itself.

A moment before Gen. Cox had sent Lieut. Tracy, one of his Aids,
to order up Opdycke's Brigade, but they were already filing up the pike,
left in front, with their chivalric chief on foot by their side. Gen. Cox
led them diagonally across the pike, so as to uncover the buildings in
Carter's yard, preparatory to charging the broken line in Strickland's
front. They were pointed directly toward the place Rousseau and White
were engaged, and the Confederates took it for a heavy reinforcement
of that part of the line. One by one they seemed shaken, feeling that
they were to be overpowered ; and, not wishing to place themselves again
in our front, they threw down their arms and rushed to our rear, prison-
ers without a guard.

When Opdycke's men faced to the front to charge the line, it was a
more serious undertaking, as a larger number of men had broken over
the works at this point, and had obtained a firmer footing. But there
was nothing too alarming for Opdycke's bravery, and he urged his men
forward, placing himself where he could prevent stragglers from drop-
ping out. He broke his revolver over men's heads, and then seized a
gun, and whoever looked back within his reach was jobbed under the
blouse. So he rushed them on, and forced Brown's men from the out-
buildings in Carter's yard. Strickland's men rallying, counter-charged
and joined him and soon the ground was in our possession again, and a
second line established.

Gen. Cox remained mounted during the entire engagement, so as to
carefully watch the whole line ; and while the confusion was greatest,

during the break, he was in the midst, display-
ing heroic bravery, with hopeful look and
sword poised above. The men saw his con-
spicuous figure, rallied around him, and he
waved them back to the line. His sublime
courage was an inspiration, and the weakest
man in his command could not withstand its
influence. If ever an example of personal
bravery turned a tide of battle, surely at this
point Gen. Cox's quiet but superb magnetism
impelled every man who caught his eye to
A \ ***"' redoubled effort in wresting victory from de-

Gen. Cox rallying his troops, feat. Gen. Stanley was also there, showing

TO NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE.

CAPT. A. P. BALDWIN.
Com. Battery 4th A. C.

great gallantry in encouraging
the troops, but was wounded be-
fore he had been on the field 10
minutes ; his horse was shot un-
der him and Gen. Cox dis-
mounted his staff officer, Tracey,
who was riding his heavy clay-
bank horse, turning it over to
Stanley who rode to the rear.

Every charge ordered by
Hood, or any of his Generals,
after this first dreadful ava-
lanche crumbled and broke, \vas
foolhardy and reckless. After
our line was re-established it was
as steady as a granite wall ; it
was next to impossible to break
it, and the enemy could only get
over our parapet as prisoners or
by being killed in the attempt.
The brave soldiers of the South

felt it, too, for their after charges, although started with a yell, were
silent as they reached our furious sheets of flame, and as they were forced
in their heads were bent, their hats pulled down, and their arms shielding
from sight the almost certain death that awaited them.

It was the writer's pleasure, a few years since, while on a pilgrimage
to the old battlefields, to meet at Nashville the late Gen. Cheatham, a very
comfortable man to approach, with a make-up about equally divided be-
tween a well-to-do Southern farmer and a Prussian Field-Marshal, hav-
ing a ruddy, full face and snow-white mustache. He greeted me most
cordially, clasping me in his arms, and said: ''Well, I heard you were
here, and I've been looking all over for you. Welcome to Tennessee;
any man who was in the
battle of Franklin, no mat- J

ter which side, is my
friend." Then we had a
good chat about old times.
Referring to the two brig-
ades out in front : "Ah,"
he said, "if it hadn't been
for the mistake your side
made there, you would
have killed every man in
our army, and God knows

Artillerymen filling their stockings with
bullets.

THE RETREAT FROM PULASKI

you killed enough of them." It is undoubtedly a fact that if the
brigades had been called in at the right time, no part of our line would
have been broken; and if all our brigades had heeded the precaution
to place head-logs on our works, and abatised our front, as Casement's
did, the loss all along the lines would have been as light as his, which
was comparatively insignificant. The officers of Casement's Brigade had
their men take timbers from the cotton-gin house at the right of the
line, also cut trees from the grove, and carried the logs in to be placed on
the top of the parapet. They rested on cross-ties hollowed out to receive
them, leaving a three-inch space through which to fire.

Henderson's Brigade, on our extreme left, reached to the railroad
track, and the works were built in the grounds of a large mansion, which
were bordered by a splendid osage-orange hedge.

The line was located about 50 feet from this hedge, so that by cut-
ting off the trees about four feet above the ground it left an impenetrable
obstruction, and at the same time open enough through which to fire.
The tops were scattered along in front of Casement's Brigade, making
one of the most deceptive rows of abatis ever formed ; it was light, but
an occasional crotched stick held it in place.

Walthall 's men stopped when it was reached ; they were bewildered ;
they couldn't get over it ; they undertook to pull it away, but the sharp
thorns pierced their hands, and they gave that up ; then right in the
smoke of our guns they faced to the right, and filed through a gap made
by a wild charging horse. All this time death was pouring into them
sheets of flame and lead from the three-inch gap under the head-logs.
One company of the 65* Ind. had repeating Spencer rifles, and at that
short range their execution must have been terrible.

Capt. Baldwin's battery was stationed at this point (15 on map),
where the dead were piled up like snowdrifts in Winter time, and here
it was that the obstructions caused them to mass so many deep.

Gen. Adams' horse killed on the
breast-works.

TO NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE.

BRIG. GEN. JOHN ADAMS.
Killed at Battle of Franklin.

MAJ. GEN. EDWARD C. WALT HALL,
Com. Division Stewart's Corps.

The brave Captain quickly took advantage of the situation, and to
mow down this dense forest of humanity he loaded his guns to the
muzzles with triple rounds of canister and dummies made with stockings
which the gunners took from their feet, and filled with bullets from the
infantry ammunition boxes. To use the Captain's words, ''At every
discharge of my gun there were two distinct sounds — first the explosion,
and then the bones." What fearful carnage, where, at short range, such
loads of iron and lead were driven through the living wall of men, that
the crunching of the bones could be distinguished ! It was the same
battery that was saved while marching out of Spring Hill by the coolness
of one of the non-commissioned officers. Orders had been given to try
to push through on the Franklin pike, with instructions to abandon and
destroy the guns, and to save themselves and horses by breaking off into
the fields on the left, if attacked and hard-pressed.

They were halted by a rebel picket reserve, posted a short distance
frcm the road, and the demand came out from the darkness: "What
battery is you-uns?" The commander was about to reply by unlimbering
and turning his guns upon them, when the quick thought struck one of
his Corporals to say, in a careless voice, "Tenth Alabam. What reegi-
ment is you-uns?" "Fourteenth Missipp," was the reply, and, apparently
satisfied, the drowsy sentinel settled down in the fence-corner to sleep.
They pushed on, and were not again molested until nearly daylight, when
they were attacked by Hood's cavalry. "Battery by the left flank: Fire
to the rear," was the Captain's prompt order. A half-dozen rounds of

THE RETREAT FROM PULASK1

BRIG. GEN. JOHN S. CASEMENT.
Com. 2nd Brig. 3d Div. 23 A. C.

12-pound solid shot scattered the cav-
alry and saved the trains of two
corps.

After dark, when it was safe to
look over the works, it was a ghastly
sight to see the mangled dead. All
along in front of Casement's line the
bodies reminded one of a rail fence
toppled over and crossed many deep ;
or as if grim death had built a new
abatis of thickly-tangled boughs. The
ditch at Fort Sanders, Knoxville,
just one year before, where the pick
of Longstreet's army lay writhing as
thick as the sealions on the cliff rocks
near the Golden Gate was bad
enough to look at, but this wras hor-
rible.

The groans and moanings were
pitiable from the poor fellows who
were so badly wounded that they
could not move away.
[The figures that follow refer to positions indicated on the map.]

(1) Here is where Gen. John Adams plunged through the abatis,
cleared the ditch, and fell across the crest and headlog; the rider fell
outside the line, with from 30 to 40 wounds. He was gently handled, and
placed upon the ground inside the lines.

(2) This is where Jack Casement stood when he made his great
speech.

When the approaching enemy was nearing
our line he sprang upon the works and turned
to his troops, and, with that noted ringing voice
that every one could hear: "Men, do you see
those damn rebel - - (you all know

the other three words) coming?"

Then a shout went up. "Well, I want you ,.
to stand here like rocks, and whip hell out of fix/
them." He then faced about and fired his
revolvers until they were empty, and jumped
down with the men.

The oratory may not have been as elegant
as though studied for the occasion, but Caesar
to his Romans and Hannibal to his Carthagen- Gen jack Casement holding
ians never made speeches thrilling their ar- his men to the line.

TO NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE. 43

mies with more effect. It was what they understood and appreciated, and
what they did afterwards showed how well it was heeded. Not one man
left the line, and it was Col. Jack's example that held them to the firing
line. As a commander of men he had no superior, having that magnetic
influence which drew from them their full capacity of service. His look
and command held them as firmly as the silken sashes that bound together
the Greeks at the pass of Thermopylae.

Just at this time, when the Confederate line was close to our works,
and our men were concealed by the head-logs, Jim Coughlan, a Lieutenant
of the 24th Ky., and Gen. Cox's favorite Aid, mounted his black horse,
and, swinging his cavalry saber over his head, charged back and forth
along the whole line, cheering the men, and they all turned and gave him
a cheer, for every man knew the gallant officer. He is the one who, on
the white horse, led every charge of the Twenty-third and Fourth Corps
across the field on the first day at Resaca ; and all through the Atlanta
campaign just such brilliant achievements on his part were noticed. It
was not his dashing gallantry alone that made him such a favorite, but
his military genius was of the highest order, and he was ever ready and
anxious for duty, with no thought of the weather or hour of the night.
If there was a spice of danger in it, he was better suited. Often, to avoid
the dullness of camp life, he has begged to accompany me on topographical
trips, when it was necessary to get information about the country ahead
of us.

He was always of the greatest assistance to me. But what risks he
would take ! It was my custom to approach a log hut or rail pile on the
road cautiously and expose as little of myself and horse as possible; but
he would gallop on ahead in the middle of the road, singing or whistling
with the greatest glee, and there had to be more than two rebel cavalry-
men stationed in the road to keep him from charging. \\'hen he mounted
his horse at Franklin and rode off along the line, with his full figure
exposed above the works, the staff officers remarked to each other that
he would surely be killed. It was late at night when we found him near
the cotton-gin, where the hand-to-hand fighting was the fiercest. We
lifted the cape from his pale face, and the stars looked down with us and
wept. He was a handsome fellow of 22 years, with intelligent blue eyes,
classic features, and a trim brown beard that the contaminating razor had
never touched. He was born in southern Illinois, of Irish parents.
Previous to the war he found employment as a school teacher in Ken-
tucky, and when his regiment was recruited he was one of the first to offer
his services.

The ride to Nashville was lonely to me, and I expected, after three
days and two nights without sleep, when we spread our blankets on the
floor of a small house outside the lines, that slumber would come quickly ;
but it was not so with me. After supper I called my black servant,

THE RETREAT FROM PULASKI

Scott, to bring me a bucket of water,
with which I swashed out my boot,
that was plastered thick on the inside
with foul mud made from the dust
of the pike and blood that trick-
led from two wounds that were not
at all painful. After making myself
as clean and comfortable as possible,
I sat on the side of my bed and looked
over to the empty half that my good

*"'-. -"i^L friend Coughlan had occupied, and

'J******^^^ mv only utterance was "Poor Jim."

In my broken sleep I rolled over sev-
eral times during the night, and the
same sorrowful words escaped me. It
made me wakeful, and I was broken
with grief to think that I could not
be with him while he was dying to
hear his last request and give him my
hand for his death-grip. Before day-
light I got up and sat by the window,
for the bed was so lonely. The one
who had shared the blankets with me
for nearly a year was back at the Harpeth River, near the bridge-head,
with two feet of earth over him. This brave officer could see only one
thing in martial glory, and that was to die in battle.

His mind had been usually bright and happy, but gloomy spells were
coming oftener as the dread disease of epilepsy increased and blighted his
future. The nights were more frequent, when, after one of these
spasms, I gently rolled him back in bed.

There was no suffering, and he had no recollection in the morning of
what had occurred ; but once in a
while a depressed feeling would
prompt him to ask me if he had
been unwell in the night, and I
would satisfy him with a cheering
word. We who knew him, when
we saw him dead, believed that
what he most dearly wished had
come. Dying like a hero in one

FIRST LT. JAMES COUGHLAN,
Aide de Camp Maj. Gen. J. D. Cox's

Staff.

Killed at Battle of Franklin.
Photographed before the war time.

of the greatest battles of the
world's history, before his mind

Gallant Jim Coughlan on his
last ride.

TO NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE.

15
E
j=
"o
U

o
U

THE RETREAT FROM PULASKI

became clouded and his system broken with bad health, was to him well
treasured as his dearest prayer.

(3) During one of the charges that was made on this part of the
line, an incident occurred at Scoville's battery which is worth relating.

A slight boy of not more than 15 years, with drum on his back,
belonging to one of the Missouri regiments, foolishly attempted to force
his way through one of the embrasures and thrust a fence rail into the
mouth of the cannon, thinking, by his brave act, to stop the use of that
gun. It was heavily loaded at the time, and was fired, tearing the poor
boy to shreds, so that nothing was ever found of him.

After our return from Nashville, we again put up at the Carter
House, where we found a young man nursing two companions. After
breakfast he accompanied me in front of the works, and pointed out
where his regiment was buried. There were only three of his company
left — two wounded and he alone unhurt. All the other companies suf-
fered about the same loss. Their graves were marked with slabs of stave
timber and the names painted thereon.

Our dead were gathered from the field and thrown promiscuously
into the ditch and covered en masse with a foot of earth. There is
nothing left of the old cotton-gin but the stone foundation piers on which
the timbers stood, but near the site is a brick college building, and on
the sloping grounds in front of same the ditch where our men are buried
is plainly marked by a strip of verdure much brighter in color than the
adjoining lawn, and studded with daisies and buttercups of luxurious
growth, enriched with the blood of the heroes of both sides, whose spirits
were here intertwined and ascended together into bivouac above the skies,
reporting to the Great Commander with equal faith in the justice of their

cause.

This little locust grove, shown on the map, was a sight to see after
the battle. The trees stood in a swampy swale, were from two to five
inches in diameter, and very close together. They were in front of
Opdycke's and Strickland's Brigades, where more charges were made
than on any other part of the line. The firing here from both sides was

terrific. Many of the larger
trees were cut entirely off by
bullets, all that were standing
and all the stumps had each
hundreds of bullet marks.
Some were cut in shreds from
bottom to top, and had the ap-
pearance, as much as any-
thing, of broken hempstocks.
The slopes beyond our whole

Confederate soldiers charging with their front resembled fields re-
hats pulled over their eyes. cently raked or harrowed.

TO NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE.

MAJ. GEN. PATRIC R. CLEBURN,

Com. Div. Cheatham's Corps.

Killed on Columbia Pike.

BRIG. GEN. S. R. GIST.
Killed at Battle of Franklin.

The Carter cottage, at this point, is the first place visited by Southern
tourists. The dwelling, which is of brick, looks on the south end as if it
had been marked with smallpox in blue spots, and all the surrounding
outbuildings have bullet marks in almost every square inch. There were
also holes from solid shot or shells from rebel guns.

Col. Carter, who at the time was a paroled prisoner, his father, with
members of the family and neighbors, remained in the cellar during the
whole of the fearful carnage. After the battle was over, and our men
had left, the sisters and others of the household took lanterns and went
out in the rear of their house, hoping to be of some service to the
wounded, and among the first was their own dear brother, between the
locust grove and the abatis, mortally wounded.

A large proportion of Cheatham's command were raised in this part
of Tennessee, which accounts, to a great extent, without doubt, for their
determination and bravery in trying to drive the invaders from their
homes.

(4) This is the spot where Gen. Pat Cleburne, the raw-boned Irish
General from Arkansas, one of the greatest fighters in the Confederate
army, fell with his iron-gray stallion, in a perfect cyclone of leaden hail.
The horse was ico feet from the line, but Qeburne's body was found close
to the works in the middle of the pike.

(5) Gen. Gist was killed here trying to carry Strickland's line; and
(6) Gen. Gordon was captured here by the Carter House; (7) Strahl
was killed here, and (8) Carter mortally wounded.

THE RETREAT FROM PULASKI

BRIG. GEN. OTTO F. STRAHL,
Killed at Franklin, Tenn.

BRIG. GEN. JOHN C. CARTER,
Wounded at Battle of Franklin.

What record will compare with that? Brown, the division com-
mander, was wounded, three of the brigade commanders killed and the
fourth captured. Surely, Cheatham and Qeburne had kept their promise
of the early morning that Hood would have no occasion to again find
fault with their bravery and determination, and the Generals under them
had by their peerless leadership sustained them in their efforts ; but, oh,
at what fearful cost ! After the battle it was found that in some parts
of Brown's line the dead were lying seven deep, and regimental and
company officers were found supported stiff and erect against this barri-
cade of dead, with their ghastly eyes wide open and their chins dropped
down, as though looking in horror and reproach at the enemy who had
made such ruthless havoc.

(9) Gen. Managault fell severely wounded in front of Moore's
Brigade.

The loss of general officers in Stewart's Corps was also large, but not
so fatal.

(10) Gen. Cockrell, brigade commander in French's Division, fell
with two severe wounds.

( 1 1 ) Gen. Quarles's command of Walthall's Division suffered heav-
ily; he himself was terribly wounded ; his staff officers were all killed, and

TO NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE.

BRIG. GEN. HIRAM B. CRANBERRY.
Killed at Battle of Franklin.

BRIG. GEN. ARTHUR M. MANIGAULT.
Wounded at Battle of Franklin.

the regimental field officers were all killed and wounded, so that the rank-
ing officer of the brigade who led them off was only a Captain.

(12) Gen. Scott, brigade commander in Loring's Division, was
wounded by a shell during the first charge.

(13) Gen. Cranberry, of Cleburne's Division, was killed on the pike
in one of the desperate charges that were made to carry the center. This
terrible loss of general officers is probably the greatest shown in so short
a battle. The loss of field and company officers was also surprisingly
large. In some of the regiments of French's line there were no commis-
sioned officers ready for duty, all being either killed, wounded or captured.
Many of the field and line officers gave themselves up and came over our
lines, the most of them reporting to Gen. Cox, and their stories were

gloomy in the extreme.

They said the organization of the
whole army was broken ; that there
was hardly a company officer that
knew where his men were.

Some of them were in the battle
before Atlanta on the 22d day of
July (the day McPherson was

Confederate dead standing erect among killed)' This was the second fierce
the wounded. battle that Hood made after he

THE RETREAT FROM PULASKI

superseded Johnston, where the Con-
federates assaulted our works and
were repulsed. Then their right wing
enveloped our left flank and attacked
us in the rear, our men springing over
the rebel side of the fortifications and
meeting their assault, defeating them
with great slaughter, and pursuing
them with loud shouts, which the en-
emy in our front mistook for a suc-
cess by the flanking columns, and
again attacked us with much fury,
only to be terribly cut by the fire of
our men for the third time. They
thought that was hard fighting, but it
was nothing compared to this, and
they added : "What is the use in fight-
ing any more? Haven't we had
enough of it?"

(14) Right here is where Clarkie
died. The men of the 7th Ohio will
need no other name to understand
whom I mean, but others will know
him better as Mervin Clark, who went out in the very beginning of
the war as Orderly-Sergeant of DeVillier's Zonaves. He was the light,
delicate boy of 17 who was so brilliant in the bayonet exercise. He was
the idol of the old 7th, and soon received a commission for gallantry.
It was his example in front of the firing line, with his bright smile and
apparent unconcern under heavy firing, that stimulated many an older
officer and impelled them to deeds of bravery. He had the lovely char-
acter of a gentle girl and the lion heart of a hero combined. After his
term of service as Captain of the 7th and muster-out, he returned to his
Cleveland home. During a visit to a neighboring town on the lake shore
he became engaged to a beautiful
young woman, whom he had known
since childhood ; but parental consent
was refused, and in his despondency
enlisted in the Regular army. Some
of his influential friends secured a
commission for him as Lieutenant-
Colonel of the i83d Ohio, and he was
with it, in command. They were
mostly young recruits, with a few vet- Lt- Col. Mervin Clark killed while
erans from old regiments. To a large rallying his men.

LT. COL. MERVIN CLARK,

Killed while in command of the

i83d O. V. I.

TO NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE.

proportion, though, this was their first baptism of fire. When the solid
lines of Brown's Division rushed against them, one wing broke, and Col.
Clark seized the colors from the bearer and rushed to the crest of the
works, then turned to his men, holding the flag above his head and
begged them to come back. They did go back, but found poor "Clarkie"
dead.

He fell in the arms of Col. Zollinger, of the i2^d Ind. It was a
great loss to the men, with whom he was so popular, but under other
brave officers they remained in the works until they were relieved with
the rest of the line. His loss was to me a source of great sorrow, for we

MAJ. GEN. JOHN C. BROWN,
Wounded at Battle of Franklin.

BRIG. GEN. GEORGE W. GORDON.
Captured at Battle of Franklin.

were schoolmates and he was my boyhood chum. After dinner, Col.
Casement called at our headquarters and told us that Clarkie, with his new
regiment, was over in back of our house on the line. My first impulse
was to rush over and see him, but at that instant was called out on the
works in our front. When I heard that he was among the killed, I re-
gretted that I did not steal even a few minutes to go over and greet him
before the battle commenced. They captured some of our colors while
crowding Wagner's Brigade back from the front, and at the breaking of
our line ; but we secured a great many more of theirs.

My recollection now is that 2O-odd stands were taken in front of
Reilly's Brigade, and that Lieut. Brown, of Reilly's staff, captured eight

THE RETREAT FROM PULASKI

COL. WILLIAM M. WHERRY,

Senior Aide Maj. Gen. John M.

Schofield's Staff.

COL. THEODORE Cox,

Adjutant General Maj. Gen. J. D. Cox's
Staff.

of them, and carried them in person to Washington. About 10:30 o'clock
at night a staff officer from headquarters rode over to our line, and told
Gen. Cox that Gen. Schofield had received a dispatch from Thomas to
immediately fall back on Nashville. Gen. Cox then related to the staff
officer the true condition of affairs in our front, and the reports we had
received from the prisoners of the terribly cut-up condition of their whole
army, stating that, under the circumstances, it would be a mistake to re-
treat, and begging him to go back to the General, and see if Thomas
could not be prevailed upon to countermand his orders, to send on in the
night fresh supplies of ammunition, and, if possible. Gen. A. J. Smith's
command. He also sent his Adjutant-General, Col. Theodore Cox. with
the message that he would answer with his head for holding the lines ;
and that we ought to assume the offensive from that point, without delay,
and reap the full benefit of the terrible defeat we had already inflicted
upon Hood's army.

Gen. Schofield's reply was: "Tell Gen. Cox he has won a glorious
victory, and I have no doubt we could do as he suggests in the morning.
But my orders from Gen. Thomas are imperative, and we must move
back to Nashville as soon as possible."

Orders were then given to leave a strong skirmish line in the works
in charge of Maj. Dow, Cox's Inspector, and withdraw the troops to
the other side of the river. About the time the movement was started.

TO NASHVILLE. TENNESSEE.

BRIG. GEN. .FRANK M. COCKERELL.
Wounded at Battle of Franklin.

BRIG. GEN. WILLIAM A. QUARLES,
Wounded at Battle of Franklin.

a house was set on fire in the town, the light of which would expose our
withdrawal, and the fire had to be extinguished before we actually started ;
in due time, though, everything, including troops, trains, wounded, and
prisoners, also the skirmish line, were safely crossed. The planks were
removed from the bridges, and we again took up our retreat to Nashville.

A few years after the war it was my pleasure to ride in the cars
from Columbus, Ohio, to Baltimore, in company with Gen. S. D. Lee,
one of Hood's Corps Commanders in the Tennessee campaign. After
introducing ourselves, he being from Mississippi and I from Ohio, our
conversation soon drifted into war matters, and when he found that I
had a pretty fair idea of the battlefield of Franklin, we were warm
friends, and in a friendly way we fought over that battle all the way to
Baltimore. He told me what shape they were in that night. At 12 o'clock
they were not aware of our retreat, and Hood had called a council of
war. He first asked Stewart what he had to report. That General replied
that his corps was all cut to pieces ; that there was no organization
left except with the artillery ; that his losses had been very heavy, that he
would not be able to make an active move in the morning.

Cheatham was then called upon, and his report was even more
despondent and gloomy. Then looking fiercely at Lee, Hood said : "Are
you, too, going back on me ?" He replied : "General, two of my divisions
are badly cut up. but I have one division left that has not been engaged,

THE RETREAT FROM PULASKI

ta W

^2 CO

W £

•£ O

h/i ffi

HH
HH

TO NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE.

56 THE RETREAT FROM PULASKI

and, if you say so, in the morning I will take them and charge with the
bayonet.'' Hood saw, of course, that there was no use in attempting
offensive operations again, but decided right there at daylight they would
mass their artillery and hurl shot and shell at our works and the town
during the entire day, and make as bold a show as possible preparatory
to getting out of the bad situation into which his foolhardy intrepidity had
led him. There is no doubt that when in the early morning he discovered
our troops were withdrawn, there never lived a man more surprised. He
fully expected that we would take advantage of his crippled condition,
and move out to crush him ; knowing full-well that he could only fall
back to the hills and rely upon his artillery and cavalry to hold us in
check, while he withdrew his shattered army back across Duck River.

In fact, instead of at once pursuing, he remained there, not knowing
what to do, and it was not until the 3d of December that he moved up
to Xashville and established his lines. Even this timid movement was
doubtless intended only to cover his retreat, and give him a chance to fix
up the railroad and bridges, so as to get his transportation safely back on
the south side of the river. How well he succeeded in this was demon-
strated from the fact that notwithstanding our rapid pursuit, no wagons
or equipment were captured on the road from Nashville to Columbia
after we passed through the camps south of the town. After so many
facts had been learned, there is no doubt that Gen. Cox was right when
he first advised against the retreat from Franklin. Although the result
at Xashville has been considered glorious, still, if the "Old Rock of
Chickamauga" could for once have been turned, and sent the 9,000 of
Smith's command, who were at Xashville on the 3Oth of Xovember.
by forced march to Franklin, and the balance with Steadman's troops as
soon as they could have been forwarded, the result at Franklin would have
been far more glorious. We would have had the enemy in the open field
instead of behind intrenchments, and we would have found them that
morning in the most thoroughly demoralized state in which an army could
be placed. We would, to say the least, have saved the losses of the first
day of the battle of Xashville, and would have captured very much more
in the way of prisoners, artillery, and trains. It would have given us the
opportunity to bury our dead as soldiers, and not have them thrown in
the ditches as carrion and covered with only a foot of earth. Perhaps
the most important advantage, though, to our side would have been the
fact that their army would be so deficient in leaders, so many of their
best Generals, field officers and commanders in the line having been killed
and disabled ; and there would not have been time for the reorganization
that was accomplished in the next fortnight at Xashville. Besides they
would have been burdened with their thousands of wounded and the
absence in the line of the able-bodied men who would have to accompany
them to the rear would still farther weaken their effective force. It re-

TO NAS1HVILLE, TENNESSEE.

o
U

THE RETREAT FROM PULASKI

TO NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE. 59

quired a full day to get the seriously wounded in field hospitals and those
who were able to travel loaded in wagons for the rear.

Among the prisoners that we captured there were a large number
that were slightly wounded and able to accompany us to Nashville.

Just before starting on our midnight march north of the river I
alighted from my reserve horse to give him a rest, for he was slightly
wounded, and visited with a group of prisoners and guards that had been
halted on the road by a hillside, where overhanging roots and boughs
concealed them sufficiently, so that they had made small fires, and were
preparing coffee. The big-hearted guards were sharing liberally from
their haversacks with the prisoners.

It was an impressive incident to witness such comradeship and
listen to their jokes. In the red flickering light and blue smoke, with a
dark background, it was a picturesque sight that would have delighted
a Salvator to study. Some of the prisoners were grimy, had long hair
and black stubbed beards with blood-stained bandages over scalp wounds,
and arm slings of yellow and red bandannas.

All were ragged and dirty, mostly in butternut homespun, and nearly
all wore black or gray slouch hats, several marked with bullet holes.
Some of the older ones were silent and thoughtful, but the younger men
were cheerful and apparently enjoying their captive life.

They were congratulating themselves that their guns and accouter-
ments, which had been tossed into army wagons, would be no longer a
burden to them ; and there was an evident feeling of relaxation after the
fearful ordeal that had so thoroughly tried their splendid courage.

It was plainly noticeable in the faces of nearly all of them that they
had lost heart in their cause ; but there were exceptions, for some were
still defiant and full of fight, as shown by their bold and dogged expres-
sions.

The battle of Franklin was without doubt the most decisive engage-
ment of the campaign, and perhaps tended more than any other towards
terminating general hostilities in the West ; for on this bloody field the
strongest army of the Confederacy in this section of the country was so
thoroughly cut-up and weakened that it was no longer feared in offensive
operations.

The heroic stand made by the Twenty-third Corps and Opdycke's
Brigade of the Fourth Corps, with the magnificent valor displayed by the
sturdy veterans of these organizations, was the cause of their downfall.
After the completion of the campaign at Nashville and the subsequent
rout of the Confederates, it was decided that Gen. Schofield's army was
no longer needed in the West, and it was transferred to and became a
part of the grand army in the East. The Fourth and Sixteenth Corps,
under the able leadership of Gen. Thorn? s, were considered strong enough
to wipe out the last vestiges of the rebellion in the West.

THE RETREAT FROM PULASKI

TO NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE.

23° 4'"»r6"' CORPS
fBOMTHE I"TO 16™ DEC IB6+°

MAJGEN.GEO.H THOMAS

COMMANDING

THE RETREAT FROM PULASKI

MAJ. GEN. ANDREW J. SMITH,
Com. i6th A. C.

MAJ. GEN. JAMES B. MCPHERSON.

Com. Army of Tennessee, Atlanta

Campaign.

It would seem proper, perhaps, before terminating this story of the
retreat, to give some account of what happened subsequently at Nash-
ville. But this paper has already been drawn out too long, and as our
first two weeks' besiegement was of a very monotonous character, be-
leagured by an army that we know was crippled to death, almost by
defeat, it would hardly be interesting to you to hear a description of our
chafing and uneasiness — particularly the last week, which would appear
as slipshod to you as it did to us.

The authorities at Washington were very uneasy because of our
inactivity, and Gen. Logan had been sent by Halleck with an order to
relieve Thomas and place Schofield in command. He was detained at
Louisville by the same ice storm that had for several days made it im-
possible for us to move. Nothing occurred until the last two days of our
stay at Nashville, the I5th and i6th of December.

The sun coming out bright and warm, melted the ice, and our army
started early. The first day's maneuvers, however, were confined to skir-
mishing and crowding back the advanced lines to their main works, which
were accomplished with light losses. Gen. Steedman, with his colored
troops, moved out vigorously, and were cheered by the whole army for
their admirable discipline and soldierly appearance. Gen. Schofield with
his Whiplash Corps, the Twenty-third (this name was given us on the
Atlanta campaign, because we were always cracking around the flanks),

TO NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE.

MAJ. GENL. DARIUS N. COUCH,

Com. 2nd Div. 23d A. C.

Battle of Nashville.

MAJ. GEN. GORDON GRANGER,
For whom the Fort was named.

which had been in reserve the morning of the first day, was instructed
to move to the extreme right flank, and connect with the right of Smith's
command. We took the fields near the Harding Pike, and marched
around by the Hillsboro Pike. Couch's Division of the Twenty-third
Corps drove the enemy from their advanced works late in the afternoon
of the 1 5th, and took up position about a half mile in front of Smith.
Cox's Division formed on the right, and went into position before dusk
right under Hood's fortifications on Shy's Hill. There a strong line of
earthworks was thrown up at the edge of the cornfield near the wood-
skirted hills. Our skirmishers and the enemy's were within 100 yards of
each other, shielding themselves behind trees.

Our artillery was placed where we could plant every shell right in
their embrasures. Capt. Cockerell, our Chief of Artillery, was an excel-
lent gunner, and the first shell he fired from one of our steel Rodmans
cut off the head of a Confederate giant who must have been quite seven
feet in height, for when we advanced in pursuit my horse jumped through
an embrasure and over his headless body, which was more than six feet
in length.

On the morning of the i6th we were confined mostly to artillery and
skirmish firing. About 3 o'clock in the afternoon Gen. Wood pushed the
Fourth Corps forward, supported by Steedman on the left, to try the
strength of the enemy's line, but were repulsed with great loss ; Col. Post,
a brigade commander, being wounded.

THE RETREAT EROM PULASKI

MAJ. GEN. JAS. B. STEEDMAN,

Com. Colored Troops and

other detachments at

Nashville.

MAJ. GEN. JAMES H. WILSON,

Com. Cavalry, Franklin

campaign.

After noon, Gen. Wilson's cavalry, supported by Henderson's Brig-
ade of Cox's Division, moved around further on Hood's left flank. This
movement was made easier by reason of the absence of Forrest's cavalry
at Murfreesboro. This mistake of Hood's in allowing such a useful
branch as the cavalry had been in his support to be absent on this day,
contributed more to his easy defeat than any other single cause. It
enabled Wilson to dismount his men and crowd around in the rear of
Chalmers, who was supported by Govan's Brigade.

Here, with their repeating rifles, they kept up an incessant firing
which made Hood extremely anxious, not knowing but one-half of our
army was in his rear. In the meantime, Gen. McArthur, of Smith's
Corps, had discovered that Bate's position had been weakened in looking
after the flank, and reported to Thomas that an attack on Shy's Hill would
probably meet with success. Thomas approved of the suggestion, and
rode over with his staff to where Gens. Schofield and Cox had made
their headquarters. From this point every move could be seen. McArthur
placed McMillan's Brigade in position for assault. The artillery from

BRIG. GEN. JOHN MC.\RTHUR,
Com. Div. 16th A. C.

BRIG. GEN. JAS. W. MCMILLAN,

Com. Brig. McArthur's Div.

16th A. C.

TO NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE.

BRIG. GEN. JAS. W. REILLY,

Com. 1st Brig. 3d. Div. 23d

A. C.

BRIG. GEN. Jos. A. COOPER,
Com. 3d Div. 23d A. C.

BRIG. GEN.

CHARLES C. DOOLITTLE,

Com. Brig. 3d Div. 23d

A. C.

all our advanced batteries opened with an intense fire on the hill, and our
skirmish lines were pushed to the utmost. McMillan's double line went
up the hill as steadily as troops in review. Occasionally a rebel gun could
be depressed enough to make a gap in the line, but it would immediately
close up and press on in superb alignment. This was about 4 o'clock.

Gen. Thomas, the grand old hero, had dismounted from his horse,
and stood in the pouring rain watching the movement closely through his
field-glass. Steadily forward moved the lines ; gradually they approached
the crest of the hill. All this time Wilson's rattling din of arms in their
rear was as continuous as hell's clamor ; now they were up to their works ;
only for a moment they hesitated, which was followed by a rapid ex-
change of fire, face-to-face, and a fierce hand-to-hand clubbing of rifles,
then the line broke.

Logan remained at Louisville. Thomas had been standing as rigidly
as a statue of bronze, but quietly turned to Schofield and said: "General,
will you please advance your whole line?"

The order was repeated to Cox, and the staff officers rode at a plung-
ing gait over the fields to the different brigades. But the orders were not
given to the troops ; they had been watching the movement, too, and
followed it without orders. It was one of those momentous occasions
when immediate action was justified, and time was too precious to await
formal instructions. From this point the whole of Hood's army crumbled
right and left. Their backbone had been broken two weeks before at
Franklin. There was no fight left in them.

No such stubborn resistance as when they repulsed our pounding
charges at Kenesaw and Lost Mountain. Their officers, of fine ability,
who held them with their lines with such tenacity during the Georgia cam-
paign, were lying cold and stiff on the southern banks of the Harpeth.
Without the leadership they could not stand, and pell-mell they scattered
over the Granny White Pike to the Franklin Pike, flying as if old what's-

66 THE RETREAT FROM PULASKI

his-name was after them. Artillery stuck in the mud, cartridges, guns
and accouterments of every description bestrewing the ground, as though
they never again expected to have any need of them, but as if their only
thoughts were to put as much distance as possible between themselves and
the dreadful Yankees. Oh, it was a glorious picnic to rush them from
one hill to another, shouting all the way. Brave Walthall checked us oc-
casionally with his strong rear-guard ; but Wilson harassed his flanks
until he had to fall back again. Little heed was taken of time and ap-
proaching darkness. One officer was so carried away with enthusiasm
that he became separated from the staff and pushed over to the Fourth
Corps, who were in pursuit, and then on with the cavalry over the Brent-
wood hills, so that he did not find his way back to headquarters until 3
o'clock the next morning, and there found the General and staff stretched
out in the mud, each one having two fence rails for a bed, no blankets,
no fire, and a drenching rain to cool off the ardour of the previous day.

TO NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE.

UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA LIBRARY

Los Angeles
This book is DUE on the last date stamped below.

rormL9 — 15m-10,'48(B1039)444

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Full text of "The retreat from Pulaski to Nashville, Tenn.; battle of Franklin, Tennessee, November 30th, 1864;"

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